Libspill reports from around the web

From delivering reprimands to the ABC to taking on ambitious reform of the NBN, Australia Post and media regulation, MalcolmTurnbull had a full agenda as communications minister since 2013.

Never shy of the limelight, Turnbull has also ventured ­beyond his portfolio to advocate for changes to government policy, having a critical win on amending citizenship laws earlier this year after warning that proposed changes were unconstitutional.

Turnbull also promised to achieve outcomes where other ministers had failed by dragging media laws into the 21st century.

While achieving consensus among rival media players — a condition for reform — was never going to be easy, Turnbull ­pitted competitors against each other, creating a deep split in the industry by proposing a piecemeal approach that removed some laws while leaving others ­untouched.

Tony Abbott has been rejected by his own party, although in truth his government was no disaster when compared with the chaotic administration under Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.

Team Abbott had its achievements, including the reassertion of border control and a clutch of free-trade agreements. In its first year, it over-egged the budget crisis, alienating both voters and crossbenchers. It never really recovered. Its failure lay in its inability to learn from mistakes.

The Age was the only newspaper in Australia to not advocate a vote for the Coalition in 2013. We said at the time that, on the issue of trust, the Coalition’s own actions left us with significant reservations. “It has obfuscated and ducked critical issues, deliberately keeping voters uninformed …” We said then that the role of government was to build a strong, fair nation for future generations.

TonyAbbott has failed to do so. We believe MalcolmTurnbull offers the best chance for a Coalition government to meet those ideals.

Australians are desperate for a breath of fresh air on both sides of politics. That was the implicit offer in Malcolm Turnbull’s challenge to Tony Abbott’s leadership. Now we can only hope that Mr Turnbull and re-elected deputy leader Julie Bishop deliver where Mr Abbott could not.